As we’re just a few days from Christmas, I wanted to bring you the final Ruben Toledo post, except this time I’m also featuring his equally talented wife, fashion designer Isabel Toledo. You may remember hearing about Isabel Toledo when Michelle Obama wore one of her creations at the 2008 inauguration (below). In every interview I’ve read from the couple, they both speak SO HIGHLY of one another and how talented and creative each of them are. Truly a great partnership, and don’t they look so cute together? Enjoy a few photos of the couple below, and check out shots from the Toledo home studio featured on the Selby in 2010. Get into it, and happy holidays! ❤

The other day I gave an introduction to one of my favorite artists/illustrators Ruben Toledo and his work with Nordstrom. Today I’d like to share more of his work and a little more about the artist. The piece above (actually a beach towel) was created to celebrate opening a new Target store in NYC, and I’m lucky enough to own this beauty. Cute right? So a little more about the artist: Ruben Toledo was born in Havana, Cuba in 1961. Toledo is a painter, sculptor, illustrator, fashion chronicler and critic, and surrealist. He has designed mannequins, store windows, award statuettes, scarves, fabrics, dishes and book covers for Penguin Classics. He has painted murals, portraits, album covers and gallery walls. He has also created illustrations for the top fashion magazines from around the world including The New Yorker, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, Paper, Visionaire, Interview and The New York Times. Some of my favorite work from Toledo comes from the book The Little Black Book of Style by Project Runway’s Nina Garcia. The book is soooooo cute and illustrated beautifully by Toledo. Years ago in college I gave it as christmas gifts. So sit back, scroll, and get into more of Toledo’s work below.

Back in 2009 (the early early early days of my blog), I blogged about one of my favorite illustrators, Ruben Toledo. I’ve been enamored with Toledo’s work for years, so I thought it was about time I devoted a few posts to this brilliant artist. I was first exposed to Toledo’s work from the Nordstrom ads he illustrated for several years. I used to rip them out of magazines and collect them. There’s something about Toledo’s illustrative style that’s so playful and beautiful, and so uniquely his own. I can spot his fashion illustrations anywhere! I like this series of ads because they combine illustration and spaces, sort of like windows and store design, which I do now. I never saw this series in print but I’m so happy to have found it online and share it with you. In the next few days I’m going to share more of his work and take a look into the studio he shares with his wife, fashion designer Isabel Toledo.